Samsung Music Hub Premium launches with the Galaxy S III to take on iTunes with 100GB of cloud storage

Samsung just reveled that it is launching its own cloud storage music service with the first batches of the Galaxy S III that went on sale today in Europe. It builds on the Music Hub we've known for a while on Samsung smartphones, but adds Premium to the title, and a price tag.

For 9.99 Euros or pounds sterling a month, you will have unlimited streaming from 7Digital's catalog of more than 19 million songs, or you can buy them with prices comparable to iTunes, and have them available for offline listening, while the free version of the app allows you 30-second song previews.

Leveraging Samsung's mSpot buyout, the paid Music Hub Premium will also allow you to upload your own music to the cloud and then stream it from there to your PC or up to five mobile devices - storage space for your unmatched songs is the whopping 100GB, a big upgrade from the 5GB mSpot used to offer for free before the acquisition.

You can also build customized radio stations to your preferences, and your music collection is recognized by the scan-and-match method, like iTunes Match, so you probably won't have to upload every single one of your files, unless they are very rare or homemade tracks. An added bonus is that Samsung's service can actually sync with your iTunes catalog, so you can have the songs there on your Music Hub as well.

T.J. Kang, senior VP of Samsung Electronics' Media Solution Center, said in an interview for Reuters that this is the first time that the company had built its own music service from the ground up:

Samsung is not known for our content services; we make good hardware products but we haven't done much in the content space but that's changing. We are doing it to create a better experience for our users. There are things we could do better if we have complete control over all of the service.

Apps for other platforms are being developed, and the new Music Hub will be later available on other Samsung phones like the Galaxy S II or the Note. Samsung is envisioning a grand future for its cloud music service, as it will be available on its Smart TVs and even smart fridges down the road.

It surely sounds like the most complete music service so far, combining both subscription and scan-and-match, so we can't wait to see what Samsung might be prepping for its Video Hub nugget.

Samsung Launches Music Hub, Offering the Ultimate Mobile Music Service

New service integrates all your music experiences in one place: Millions of songs, your own music stored in the Cloud, a music store and radio discoveryInitially launching on the Samsung Galaxy S III in Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK

Open Mobile Summit, London, U.K., (May 29, 2012)- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced the arrival of the much anticipated new Music Hub – the first completely integrated, all-in-one mobile music service. Initially available on the Samsung Galaxy S III and hitting European markets today, Music Hub vastly simplifies and enhances the everyday experience of listening to music. Whether you're an avid collector wanting easy access to your own music collection, someone with ever-changing music tastes, someone who likes to sample a broad selection of music and genres or a passive listener who prefers radio, Music Hub provides a richer music experience for everyone.

Based on the technology services of mSpot, a leading mobile content service provider recently acquired by Samsung, the new Music Hub service will initially be available on the Samsung GALAXY S III and will soon be offered on a wider selection of devices.

"When you ask yourself, 'what do I want to listen to?' there is now one simple answer, for every mood, every place and everyone," stated TJ Kang, Senior Vice President of Samsung Electronics' Media Solution Center. "With the new Music Hub, we're bringing the joy back to music – listening, collecting and sharing."

"We believe that today's mobile market must have an open mobile music system – one that offers all kinds of services across different devices. Music Hub removes all the barriers to your music," stated Daren Tsui, CEO of mSpot.

The new Music Hub service will be offered for free and also in a Premium version:

Music Hub Store: (free)Offering a vast, 19 million song catalog provided by 7digital, Music Hub Store enables you to buy songs and albums, as well as listen to 30-second previews of all songs. Purchased music is stored in the cloud and automatically appears on all of your devices, while music can also be stored locally on devices for offline listening.

Music Hub Premium: (€/£9.99 per month)For €/£9.99 per month, you can upload and access your entire music collection anywhere, enjoy unlimited streaming from the millions of songs in the Music Hub catalog and discover new songs with radio stations based on the artists you like.

Music Hub features include:

Scan & Match Cloud Locker: Upload your music to the cloud so you can play it anywhere. Music Hub utilizes scan & match technology to decrease upload time and ensure high-quality playback. Any unmatched songs are directly uploaded from your library so you can access rare or personal recordings (100 GB of storage for all unmatched songs). When you edit playlists or purchase music, your collection stays automatically updated across all authorized devices.

Catalog of millions of songs: Enjoy full access to our entire catalog to stream or purchase, with unlimited plays and no advertisements. Search for new music, create playlists, share songs with friends, and view lyrics and album information.

Radio: Relax and listen to the music you like with personal radio and programmed stations. Create personal stations based on songs and artists you love, or browse genre stations recommended and tailor-crafted by the Music Hub team. Hear a song you like? Tag it so you can find it later and play it again whenever you want.

Recommendations: Discover great new music all the time with customized recommendations for songs, artists, albums and radio stations. The more you listen, the better recommendations you'll get.

Optimized for Mobile: Music Hub is optimized specifically for your Samsung device. Advanced streaming and downloading options let you save storage space, play music when offline, and cut down on cellular data usage. Audio settings are designed to prolong battery life and ensure smooth streaming even under spotty network coverage.

Web Player: In addition to the mobile app, users can access their music library and the Music Hub catalog/store online at www.musichub.com. The Web Player allows users the freedom to play their music easily on any PC.

N.B.: Users must initially register on a Galaxy S III phone using a Samsung account.

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